CLINTON, Miss. --- Mississippi College held off Auburn University at Montgomery in a five-set thriller at A.E. Wood Coliseum on Saturday afternoon. The Choctaws (6-7, 3-0 Gulf South Conference) captured the match with scores of 25-20, 22-25, 25-13, 23-25, 15-10. 

MC recorded 14 service aces, contributing significantly to their win.

Meg Paparella led the MC team with five service aces, contributing 16 total points. Mary Grace Foster recorded 11 kills and added 17 assists. Rhaia Davey matched Foster with 11 kills and added three total blocks. Samarin Kipple contributed defensively with 17 digs and four service aces, enhancing her impact on the court.

In the decisive fifth set, MC capitalized on early momentum with a kill from Paparella, assisted by Ellie Foster, to start the scoring. After an initial lead, the team faced a challenging stretch as AUM surged ahead, taking a 5-1 advantage. MC's response was fueled by a series of strategic plays, including a service ace by Paparella and a pivotal kill by Cydney Mitchell, narrowing the gap to 7-6.

The turning point came as Kipple's service ace and a subsequent attack error by AUM allowed MC to draw level and then take the lead at 8-7. Davey and Foster played a crucial role in extending the lead with successive kills and blocks, pushing the score to 13-9. The Choctaws maintained control through the end, with Paparella's kill sealing the set at 15-10, securing the match victory.

The Choctaws opened the first set with a steady performance, quickly recovering from an early point by the Warhawks to establish a lead. A service ace by Paparella and a series of kills from Foster and Ellie Foco helped the Blue and Gold build momentum, reaching a 10-4 lead. The team capitalized on AUM errors and continued to score through successful attacks by Felicity Pratt and Paparella, extending the advantage to 18-11.

AUM attempted to rally, narrowing the margin to 20-15 with a service ace and effective kills, but MC responded by maintaining their scoring edge. Key contributions from Paparella and Cydney Mitchell, along with a service error by AUM, allowed the Blue and Gold to close the set. MC secured the first set with a 25-20 victory, setting the tone for the match.

The second set began with the Choctaws establishing early momentum, opening with a series of successful plays, including a kill from Paparella and a service ace by Davey, to take a 3-0 lead. The Choctaws extended their advantage to 10-4 with contributions from Mitchell and Pratt. However, the Black and Orange responded, leveling the score and then moving ahead 12-11 after a series of errors from MC.

AUM continued their push, capitalizing on a service ace by Kiara Vega to stretch their lead to 17-13. MC rallied with kills from Mitchell, narrowing the gap to 17-16. Despite a late surge and defensive efforts from Foco and Davey, the Choctaws could not overcome AUM's lead, closing the set with a 25-22 deficit.

MC opened the third set with a strong service game, as Paparella delivered two consecutive service aces to give the home team an early edge. Mitchell and Foster contributed with key kills, aided by precise sets from Reese Regner, to extend the lead.

The set progressed with the Choctaws capitalizing on errors from the Warhawks, including multiple bad sets and attack errors, to build a substantial advantage. Emma Levingston and Davey added to the scoring run, and Paparella added another service ace late in the set.

The Choctaws maintained control throughout, as Foster's service ace closed out the set. The home team secured a 25-13 victory in the third set, emphasizing their dominance in service and attack efficiency.

MC entered the fourth set with a narrow lead but faced a significant challenge from AUM. The set began with a block by Mitchell to gain the first point, and the Choctaws quickly moved ahead 3-1 with contributions from Foster and Kipple. However, AUM then capitalized on a series of errors to level the score at 4-4.

The Choctaws regained momentum, with Davey and Mitchell securing key kills to edge ahead 6-4. The Black and Orange responded with a strong service performance, taking a 9-8 lead before MC tied it up again. Foster and Davey combined for crucial points, keeping MC within striking distance at 16-16 following a service ace by Kipple.

Down the stretch, MC rallied from a 20-17 deficit, with Davey and Foco delivering decisive kills, advancing the score to a 22-20 lead. However, AUM closed the set with a late surge, overcoming a service error by MC and taking advantage of a few errors to secure a 25-23 victory in the set.

MC will defend their home court against Montevallo on Tuesday, Sept. 30, at 6 p.m.